Postdoctoral opportunities

Postdoctoral positions are advertised on this site and on the Materials Department's Vacancies webpage.Regardless of whether we are currently advertising, we are always interested to hear from strong prospective candidates, either for positions that may open soon or for independently funded postdoctoral fellowships.

2016-11-29 current vacancy: Microwave-to-optical Conversion using Molecular Spin Ensembles​We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to join an international collaborative project to create a comprehensive formalism for the description and control of classical and quantum networks. You will have specific responsibility for development of quantum coherent microwave to optical frequency conversion, a goal with wide technological and scientific importance.

You will work on experimental development of quantum coherent microwave to optical conversion, and testing the systems using the hardware-in-the-loop facility. You will also contribute to foundational questions about the nature of quantum networks.​You will have a good first degree and have completed (or be close to completing) a doctorate in the physical sciences. You will also demonstrate expertise in one or more of the following: (a) synthesis and assembly of relevant molecules and materials, (b) superconducting resonators, (c) electron spin resonance, (d) optical molecular spectroscopy, including at low temperature.

Graduate opportunities

We usually recruit about three doctoral students per year. If you are interested in quantum technologies and fundamental﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿ physic﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿s, and motivated to carry out demanding experimental research, we want to hear from you! For descriptions of some of our available projects and instructions on how to apply, see the department’s postgraduate admissions page. Before submitting a formal application, we encourage you to discuss possible research with the project supervisor. Although the university recruits in several tranches, the main deadlines are usually in November for overseas and scholarship candidates and January for home/EU candidates.

Funded DPhil positionWe have funding for a DPhil student for a project on graphene based DNA sequencing. The studentship is fully funded through the EPSRC DTP scheme sponsored by Oxford Nanopore Technologies.

Single strand DNA sequencing is a rapidly developing field of research on the cutting edge of physics, biology and chemistry. Solid state nanopores are currently being researched by Oxford Nanopore Technologies to form the basis for next-generation DNA sequencing tools. This includes the evaluation of graphene as a membrane for DNA sequencing applications. A standard way of forming these features is to “drill” the pore or gap using a transition electron microscope (TEM). This approach, however, has limited scalability. There is therefore great need to develop methods for fabricating holes and gaps in graphene membranes that are scalable enough to be part of a production process.

We are looking for a DPhil student who will develop suspended graphene devices that have the potential to meet the requirements for solid state nano-pores.

The goal is to develop arrays of 10s to 100s of nanopore/nanogap sensing elements integrated with an ASIC for single molecule detection. Following an initial proof of concept, the DPhil student will be working closely with Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ team to manufacture the device at scale and increase the array density to 1000s of channels.

Please apply before 5 May.

Undergraduate and Master's research opportunities

We welcome enthusiastic and hard-working students from inside and outside Oxford for short research projects. Availability of projects fluctuates strongly depending on temporary needs, but previous undergraduate interns have synthesized nanotubes, built electronic circuits, and fabricated devices in the cleanroom. We offer projects both formally (through the Materials Department's Part II research element) and informally (to especially motivated undergraduates who think that doing research in a basement is more fun than spending the summer with their parents).Prospective Part II students from within the department should consult the Part II webpage and make enquiries to the group leaders.Prospective Master’s students, interns, exchange students and visitors should contact group leaders to discuss possible projects.